Pennine Acute Trust invites public to join Manchester 10K fun run

In Your Hands Appeal logo

The Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust is inviting the local public from Oldham, Rochdale, Middleton and surrounding areas to join staff on this year’s Bupa Manchester 10K fun run on Sunday 26 May.

The Trust is seeking runners to help raise money for the Trust’s ‘In Your Hands’ Appeal. The appeal aims to raise money to help provide equipment for the new neonatal unit and children’s wards at The Royal Oldham Hospital.

The neonatal unit is one of three regional neonatal intensive care services in Greater Manchester that provide specialist services for the most vulnerable and sick babies in the region. This includes babies from Oldham, Rochdale, Bury and Manchester.

Sarah Flaherty from the Trust’s fundraising office explains why it’s so important to raise funds for the appeal: “Each year, over 5,300 babies are born at the neonatal unit and a number of these babies require specialist care after being born small or prematurely. Premature or poorly babies can spend many weeks in hospital and it can be a very worrying time for parents and families.

“We want to make the unit as well equipped and comfortable as possible, to help make the time that parents and babies spend on the unit that little bit easier.”

The ‘In Your Hands’ Appeal is well on its way to meeting its target of £200,000 and all the money raised will help to furnish and enhance the new neonatal unit with the latest equipment and facilities for women, children and babies across the region.

Runners can also choose to run for any of the Pennine Acute Trust’s other charity appeals if they wish including Link4Pink, Think Floyd and Watch Your Mouth. Volunteers should inform the fundraising office about which appeal they would like to run for when they apply.

The Bupa Great Manchester Run is one of the biggest annual sporting events in the Manchester sporting calendar and helps to raise thousands of pounds for charity. Over 40,000 runners take part in the Manchester 10k Fun Run each year. The run takes place in the heart of the city and is featured live on BBC television. Live music help to keep runners motivated, creating a fun and lively atmosphere.

If you would like to run on behalf of the Trust, then please call the Fundraising Office on 0161 918 4497 or e-mail charity@pat.nhs.uk. The deadline for entries is 30 April 2013.

A registration fee of £30.00 is required to take part in the race and runners must commit to raising a minimum of £150 each for the charity. Further details on the ‘In Your Hands’ Appeal and all of the Trust’s other fundraising appeals can be found on the Trust website at www.pat.nhs.uk